NIRUPAM 2 LAST (BES35)

Rebuking the Maharashtra government over collection of dues such as tax etc. in invalid currencies from the people, Nirupam demanded a "break-up" of the loss caused in stamp duty and octroi collection after the demonetisation.

The state government had allowed the people to pay water tax, electricity bills, municipality taxes etc. in the scrapped notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500, which has resulted in a substantial rise in its coffers.

The Congress leader said, "We require 2,300 crore pieces of currency notes and at present, our capacity is to produce only 300 crore pieces a month, (which means) this crisis will continue for seven months."

He alleged that the invalid tenders were being "illegally converted" into dollars at the rate of Rs 117 per dollar.

"Gold prices have gone up and in places like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, bribes are being sought and paid in the new Rs 2,000 currency notes. All the cash is not black money and all the black money is not cash," he said, adding that the brunt of Modis demonetisation move was being borne by the middle-income and low-income groups.

"The patience of the people is running out," he said.

Nirupam sought Modis clarification on how he ran his "high-voltage" campaign for the 2014 general election as the BJPs prime ministerial nominee.

"How were the expenses met...was it all white money?," he asked. PTI MR NSK RC BAS

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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